Africa-Press – Malawi. Malawians less than a year ago pinned their hopes on Tonse Alliance to deliver them from evil that was the DPP. The Tonse choir orchestrated by the Leader of Opposition Dr. Lazarus Chakwera and his number two Dr. Saulosi Chilima promised Malawians Canaan or Malawi okomela tonse.
June 23, 2021 seems already far enough, the President seems to have an excuse every time he must backtrack from his promises. Unfortunately for Malawians, they had enough excuses from Peter Mutharika, Joyce Banda, Bingu wa Mutharika and Bakili Muluzi.
Muluzi when asked about his promises for free shoes, he asked Malawians if he knew their sizes. He managed to build Keza, bought Lonrho House and a few million dollars were deposited into his personal account. He bought over 200 cars for anyone who cheered him, had more bare prime plots than individual Malawians.
After Muluzi one of the most beloved excuse was “they found Government coffers empty”. I think only Bingu did not give this excuse until his tribesmen convinced him power was to be restricted to the Lhomwe belt, punish Northerners for being nosy and make sure 65% of top public positions are filled with Lhomwes.
Imagine, President, Chief Justice and Clerk of Parliament were all Lhomwes. Head of Military, Police, Intelligence, MRA, Admarc, Teveta, Roads Authority, MERA, Nocma and many critical agencies had to be Lhomwes.
Joyce Banda claimed she found empty coffers after DPP had looted everything. But she managed to batter our presidential jet, rampaged a few million dollars, like Bingu and Muluzi before her, she managed to buy or register 115 vehicles from well-wishers. Cashgate became a public matter, Malawians were given all excuses, they opted for the devil that they knew.
Peter Mutharika’s favourite excuse was an empty cash gated treasury. He spoke all the right words but once he slept at Sanjika Palace his memory and words were contradictory. Suddenly he could not remember he promised Mombela University the whole six years, suddenly he could not remember to even attend debate where he had mocked Joyce Banda absence four years earlier.
Look here, Peter Mutharika was not probably the thieving President, but he was sleeping at Sanjika when Chisale was accumulating almost 200 vehicles, Mulhako was at its prime. He suddenly did not remember his promise to restore the senate and reduce presidential powers. He even showed a middle finger to Malawi’s strong rule of law for a legal professor- attempting to fire a Chief Justice, failing to implement access to information act and more importantly failed to reign in against corruption. Karma had it he got a cheque from Zameer Karim. Whether he really paid back or not, we will see.
President Lazarus Chakwera and his deputy Saulosi Chilima campaigned twice in 2019 and 2020. They told Malawians they had keys to propel them to a different life they only dream of. Peter Mutharika out of all his faults, he maintained a Cabinet of 20 for five years. Dr. Chakwera failed from the start.
Then came popular promises, excuses have been given I will not repeat them it’s not necessary. But the most worrying trend is when the President makes a public pronouncement and must give an excuse of not having done it. This continues to weaken his presidency.
Chakwera failed on Cabinet appointments – his prerogatives we are reminded by State House. It was a family and appeasement affair. He has failed to control the economy, the kwacha slipping, fuel and cost of living are all rising, and Malawians have no idea when Canaan will come.
Amid all this, K6.2 billion has vanished. The promises to relinquish power seem like a dream. The promise for Access to information seem like a dream and now even a promise of a cabinet from the Presidency seem like a dream.
The question is, are we heading for any right direction? A year is ending in the next 72 days also. I am not sure what we will be celebrating. President Chakwera spoke well at Magufuli’s funeral. Magufuli shook Tanzania and brought change days into office. Why is our President taking 294 days without showing Malawians were we are heading.The only thing we can pray is their next appointments will revitalize the country’s hope. Otherwise, the economy is biting the poor and businesses hard. It seems corruption is back and most cabinet members look useless and clueless. Police seem daft to silence critics and the biggest nonsense if Tonse Government trying to break Teachers Union. Those sound like UDF antics not a civilised and Malawi for all agenda.
Reverend Dr. Lazarus Chakwera please dzukani. Malawians are crying. Malawians are feeling the pinch of a directionless economy. Actually, we don’t even know if you can tell us where we are heading. Dr Chilima said he knew where Malawi money is and jobs will be there about a million by June 2021. Today companies are closing enmasse and job losses are a common feature. After Magufuli’s speech, most of us hope we can at least do half of his works. Perhaps we can start dreaming.
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